My husband lost his job just one month after losing his mother. We have always worked, have three kids, two dogs and paid our mortgage on time for 17 years. Since being cut off, we have had to use my our 401K with the unemployment payments to make ends meet. I am now trying to support our family on my salary alone. We did everything right, worked hard, raised a family, paid our taxes - and now that we need help, those who have been elected to serve the people are only interested in serving themselves.
I lost my job of 16 years last July as an administrator. I have applied for jobs daily but as a 52 year old woman, no one seems to want me. When Congress didn't extend unemployment I had to turn to my savings and my retirement funds. Which are now exhausted and I am on the verge of losing my home. I have worked my entire life and have never asked for any type of assistance. I am now on food stamps and Medicaid because House refuses offer me a helping hand out of this horrible situation.
September 4 2013, is the day, my wife and I both lost our jobs. We lost our jobs because we were considered too old. My wife's company admitted age discrimination and gave her a small settlement. My former place of employment was laying people off and firing employees, many older employees lost their jobs, one had a heart attack and died. My wife is well-educated, highly experienced but it took a long time before she could find work again. I have had a number of interviews with no success of employment.
I lost my job last November and last week I exhausted my unemployment benefits....I am a single mother of two and I am about to lose everything if this does not pass. I have applied to so many jobs, went on numerous interviews and nothing. I am going to be homeless soon and I do not know what else I can do. I am depressed and can not sleep at night. I do not want to be here anymore because I can not provide for myself let alone my daughters.
I'm a Skilled Building Tradesman of 26 years. My world has been turned upside down in the last seven years. The Michigan economy has not bounced back like other states. Why can't we throw a lifeline for our citizens during this downturn? "The Comeback" hasn't happened for my family, and at this rate I will be off the Marvin rolls and seeking help from others, at a cost to the taxpayers. Mind you... I have been a taxpayer for over 30 years.
My son is 33, married, with 3 children, 1 of which is 6 months old and another with Type 1 Diabetes. He is looking for work. If he loses his unemployment benefits, his whole family will be put at risk.
We would have lost our home in 2010 if my unemployment ran out. Don't sell the unemployed people down the river. Renew unemployment now!
First off let me emphasize that I do not want to be supported through unemployment. Not at all. I want to work. Further, I have spent countless hours attempting to find employment. And, during this time, I have been willing to accept any job that will enable me to provide for my family. I just hope that our representatives are able to see beyond political polarities to the faces of those families to whom this issue does not merely exist as a statistic or a theory, but more genuinely as a question of survival
I was the sole employee of a sole proprietor who retired in January of 2013. I started looking for work 2 months before his retirement. Unemployment Insurance was the only means for me to pay my bills while I searched for employment. During that time the engine in my car blew out. So I started riding the bus to any interview I could get. Now I don't have any means to get to an interview and on April 30th I will become homeless. I continue diligently to look for work but soon I will be doing so without an address.
I have been unemployed for 13 months. When EUC stopped our life support was cut off. It's extremely difficult to raise 2 children alone without money. When I lost my job my children's sense of security was rocked but with unemployment we were able to keep our heads up. Now we have been rocked beyond comprehension and we are fearful. My landlord's kindness is dwindling and my children and I are looking at the harsh reality of becoming homeless. I pray that common sense will prevail so we'll have a fighting chance to survive.
I am a 55 year old Republican, who lost my job of 8 years last March. This is the first time that I’ve ever been out of work and on UI or any government assistance program. I am an innocent sincere jobless human being. Since being cut off of EUC I've had to sell much of my belongs to pay the bills. I have gone to bed hungry more than once. It has gotten to the point where I do not have gas money to look for work and my internet will be turned off on May 2. Come May I don't know what I am going to do. Please don’t turn your back on me.
I will become homeless, if Congress doesn't extend unemployment benefits! I'm a Veteran!
I am a single mother of 4 teenagers that has a college degree with 30+ years of experience. I lost my job with most of my co-workers last year when our company was brought out by a competitor. Five years ago I would get calls from recruiters; now at age 50 and having done over 500 online applications - I have received 0 job offers. I can hardly land interviews for positions paying $20K less than my old salary. Working class Americans can’t go 6 months without paying our bills many of us have lost a lifetime of security in only 4 months.
I am one of millions who have become homeless and now that there's no UI I have lost hope in our system and our government.
I am 61 years old. I have worked since I was 16. In August my position was eliminated, restructure of the corporate company. I spend hours every day looking for work of any kind. In 6 months I received 2 calls and 2 interviews but no offer of employment. I am begging that unemployment be extended and give us a chance to survive while we continue our search for employment. This hardly feels like the "American Way" that I have known and loved. Do what is for the good of the people.
I have searched and applied for countless jobs daily since being laid off, and have only gotten 1 interview! I am 39 years old, and have 10 years worth of clerical experience, with a Michigan Residential Insurance Adjuster License. I can't even get my foot in the door for an opportunity to land a job. I have three of my 4 children living at home ages 18, 9, and 8. I am about to lose my house, lose my electricity, and can barely put food on the table. I do not know what I will do for my children.
I am 60 years old and have worked all my life and never drawn unemployment. I am an Accountant and the company I worked for went under in October. I have applied to every position I available. Without the extension I will have no source of income in March and will lose everything. Please RenewUI!
I have worked all my life & never once had to draw unemployment until now. My wife is disabled she has lupus, is anticoagulant and suffers from epilepsy. We have to drive to an oncology at least once a week for treatment. After I lost my job we scraped by, using unemployment to pay our utility bills. As a husband my wife's health comes first so after we get her to the Dr. and get medications, there is nothing left and now our utilities will be disconnected. I know god will soon send me a job.
It's scary not knowing what will happen from day to day. My landlord has tried to be as patient as he could and now he had no choice but to serve me an eviction notice. It's scary to think that my America is this cruel.
At 56 I am working 12 hours a week in the local diner at $3.25 an hour. Low Energy Assistance program was able to help detour our utility bill for being cut off instead of it being $650, was $436.00. We have traded in all our gold to make ends meet. We have to drive 94 miles to get my husband to dialysis 3-4 times per week. Before becoming unemployed I never used my credit cards but now my credit is ruined, which in turn shows up on my background checks for employment. I am lost, renewing this would be a lifeline for us.
Since December 2013 I have been flailing about trying not to become homeless. I thought I had made good choices in my life in gaining a bachelors in social work and a masters in Health Education. I have been on countless interviews and have had to borrow money to get to them as well as find a way to continue to have a roof over my head.
I have been in the medical field for over 25 years, and unable to find work. I can't pay my rent, electric bill, phone bill, no money for food, as for car, etc. I can't even print out my resume for a job because I can't afford to buy ink for my printer. This is the first time in my life I had to go to a food pantry. I was ashamed. Never in a million years would I imagine this is where I would be. I am not looking for a handout, I just need a little help to get back on my feet until I find a job.
I have done everything I can to get another job. I have had several interviews, getting to the 3rd or 4th round on a few. The feedback has only been that I am over qualified. I have never been out of work before. I am falling behind on my bills, begging companies not to shut off services. The brakes on my car are down to bare metal. How will I survive? I am very close to living on the street. I am almost 50 years old. Unemployment allowed me to barely get by.
After 24 years and 11 months, I was let go. I've gone on countless interviews and submitted endless applications, with no results. I've paid taxes since I was 21 and worked hard to raise my children as a single mother. I have never asked for or accepted any form of government assistance. If the federal extension isn't passed soon and retro-actively, I will lose everything I've worked for. I've used almost all of my savings and if I take my social security now. I'm in trouble.
I've been looking for work and have done many upon many applications. I'm in the process of my home going into foreclosure. I need to keep a roof over my head. My car has already been reprocessed. My gas and lights are in shut-off statics. I need my employment not because I'm lazy, not because I don't want to continue to look for employment, But, because I need a HAND not a hand-out. How would congress feel if they lost their jobs, couldn't pay their bills or feed their children. Pass Unemployment extension! WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR COUNTRY?
I am a single Mom. I have never been unemployed before & am anxious to get back to work. My unemployment benefits barely cover my expenses while I search for work. Now if these benefits are not extended my rent will not be paid which we leave my 9 year old daughter & I will become homeless. It's very difficult to understand why we & millions of other families have to suffer. Please vote to extend so we can get back on our feet.
I am 53 years old. I was employed with a company for 23 years. I have been searching for work without any luck. Unemployment helped with bills, food, gas in my vehicle to continue searching for employment. These 3 months have been horrible trying to get by. Please reinstate unemployment. I am not proud to be on unemployment but so much has been lost. I have been working full time for 35 years and now when needed there is nothing available for myself or others who when in need, need some help.
This is the first time in my life I have been out of work and I was the bread winner of the house. I am not lazy, not on any assistance and I WANT TO WORK but our local unemployment rate is 10.5% - not a bright outlook. Without the assistance from unemployment insurance, my family and I would have lost everything. PLEASE, PLEASE reinstate these benefits!
I am 64 years old, and absolutely in no position to retire. Looking for another job in the field that I had been employed has been very difficult, and because of the low wages in sales, I would be destined to a life of spiraling poverty. That we would have to explain in, our country, why we are needful of help, and deserving of help to people who dare to pass judgment; is not why my father volunteered, and landed at Normandy.
I am 51 year old female, college educated with a LPN license, I have put in application after application, I have applied online so many times I cannot count. I have a disabled son at home, he cannot work, we need food, my rent is past due and my heat will be getting shut off. Why can't my own government help me and all the other American's out when we need help?
Unemployment insurance helped me provide for myself until I was able to find a job. Now I am back to work and paying my taxes. Lets please help those who need that chance.
I never thought I would need to collect unemployment benefits because of my experience, skills and advanced educational accomplishments. An older worker like me still has a lot to contribute, but since it is difficult to find a position, the unemployment benefits help during a late-in-life transitional time.
I strongly believe that Emergency Unemployment Insurance benefits should be extended. At 60 years old and my husband at 64, we are struggling financially and emotionally worse than we ever have in our lives.. I pride myself and my husband for being good citizens and hard working tax payers all our adult lives, but it is disheartening to be faced with our situation in life at this time
I was struggling on Unemployment Insurance but making it. I have not had income since they halted benefits in December. I am $20 away from being completely broke. I have stacks of bills, shut off notices, and I just got a foreclosure notice for my home. Please, I'm begging Congress to RENEWUI. I bet if they were the ones struggling, this wouldn't even be an issue.
If I hadn't been able to receive long term unemployment benefits I would have had to charge all my living expenses to a credit card and my debt level would have gone through the roof. There is a misconception that people receiving unemployment insurance are lazy and unmotivated, but that is not the case, the vast majority of people WANT to work and feel productive every day. Please don't penalize those who are victims of a shaky economy, and although things are slowly getting better, we're not out of the woods yet.
I am a college-educated, professional single parent to a child with disabilities. These benefits helped me pay my rent, make the car payment and keep the heat on. I have no help whatsoever aside from our local food bank. I look tirelessly for jobs, I network, I go to hiring events, and I try to be upbeat and think positively. But the truth is that I only have $243 to my name, my car needs to be repaired, and bills that are overdue. I'm terrified. I need help, and I feel more and more like I have no voice in Congress.
After working since I was 16 years old, now 57, I find myself unemployed because the company that I worked for over 18 years was sold to an out-of-state company. I apply daily for well over 20 jobs and I had very few interviews. This is extremely frustrating!!!
I have never been out of work before. I am trying to find a way to make ends meet. My husband is employed so we are barely getting by. I am so discouraged. I have been a tax paying citizen for all of these years, and when I need help the government is not there for me. I go on interviews. Over qualified. Under qualified. I am crying, worrying and hoping that my American dream doesn't end in foreclosure, bankruptcy and food stamps.
Please act to reinstate the long term unemployment. Time is running out for me in my position. Not only are my savings gone but my credit is being ruined as well. I am not lazy and look for work every day but until I do find work these benefits are keeping me a viable, employable American.
I am doing all that I can to find employment with no luck as of now. Right now I am just trying to pay my utilities and keep my car as I must have it to search and gain employment. I pray each night for the extension as I don't know where I will be without it.